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Remembering Laika, Space Dog and Soviet Hero

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Re: Remembering Laika, Space Dog and Soviet Hero

#32

Post by amelius »

liberte82 wrote: post #20

I remember reading about Laika as a kid and how they sent up the dog in space and just let it die up there. It made me feel so bad and still does today. :(

Yes, but there are worse things happening to animals even as we speak, and for less noble purposes.

Re: Remembering Laika, Space Dog and Soviet Hero

#33

Post by caio1982 »

amelius wrote: post #32
liberte82 wrote: post #20

I remember reading about Laika as a kid and how they sent up the dog in space and just let it die up there. It made me feel so bad and still does today. :(

Yes, but there are worse things happening to animals even as we speak, and for less noble purposes.

Don't "yes, but" this, folks. The parent comment was very specific, focused, why not just ponder it?

Re: Remembering Laika, Space Dog and Soviet Hero

#34

Post by dominotw »

Theodores wrote: post #23

Stalin had a saying, I paraphrase: One death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic. I think the reaction to Laika's demise illustrated this. The exact quantity of dogs 'put to sleep' in 1964 in the USA is not known. However, I am sure that many thousands were 'put to sleep' every single day, with more than a million dogs euthanised in the USA over the year because that is what happens. Incidentally, the last…

>Stalin had a saying, I paraphrase:

> One death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic.

I don't think there is ever a record of him saying this.

Re: Remembering Laika, Space Dog and Soviet Hero

#35

Post by cyberferret »

liberte82 wrote: post #20

I remember reading about Laika as a kid and how they sent up the dog in space and just let it die up there. It made me feel so bad and still does today. :(

Same feelings here. I adored space and space travel as a kid, and I did many school projects on them (and became a pilot later in life), but the one aspect about space travel that always left a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach was when I read about the animals they sent on one way missions.

I could rationalise with the brave astronauts and cosmonauts who undertook some of these missions, because as a rational thinking human, you can weigh the risks and make a decision to go, knowing full well that you may never come back. But a dog or chimpanzee really has no way to say "Umm, actually now you mention it, NO, I'd rather not be sealed in a capsule and blasted into space - never to walk on a grassy field again. I'd much rather you chose another dog while I happily gnaw on this bone right here..."

I was somewhat assuaged back then by the statements made that Laika was fed a poisoned tablet after a certain time, and passed away painlessly. But a few years ago when I read those declassified documents detailing how she actually died under horrendous circumstances, my heart broke all over again...

Re: Remembering Laika, Space Dog and Soviet Hero

#38

Post by enlightenedfool »

Theodores wrote: post #23

Stalin had a saying, I paraphrase: One death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic. I think the reaction to Laika's demise illustrated this. The exact quantity of dogs 'put to sleep' in 1964 in the USA is not known. However, I am sure that many thousands were 'put to sleep' every single day, with more than a million dogs euthanised in the USA over the year because that is what happens. Incidentally, the last…

Humans are funny in a way. Mourn and get emotional about dogs and pets and mercilessly slaughter chicken, cows and pigs everyday.

Re: Remembering Laika, Space Dog and Soviet Hero

#39

Post by riku_iki »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #37
riku_iki wrote: post #36

Why nobody's remembering Albert II - the first animal reached the space? He even doesn't have wiki article..

Can you enlighten us?

Albert was followed by Albert II who survived the V-2 flight but died on impact on June 14, 1949, after a parachute failure.[2] Albert II became the first monkey and first primate in space as his flight reached 134 km (83 mi) - past the Kármán line of 100 km taken to designate the beginning of space.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkeys_and_apes_in_space

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